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The Western Bulldogs breakthrough AFL success hasnt changed Gillon McLachlans approach to the pre-finals bye round, which will be back next season.The controversial weekend off will be retained in the 2017 draw, despite every senior coach wanting a reversion to the regular fixture.The Bulldogs were undoubtedly helped by the break, using it to regroup and leap from seventh to the premiership.In contrast, the extra weeks break hurt the two qualifying final winners - GWS Giants and Geelong - who played just two matches in four weeks leading up to their preliminary finals, which both sides lost.In making the unpopular call, AFL House leaned heavily on two figures; television audiences and crowds.Record viewing figures for round one of the finals delighted broadcasters Seven Network and Fox Sports and convinced McLachlan to retain the measure.The four matches had 6.4 million Australians watching, beating the record figure of 6.04 million in 2006.In total, the nine finals matches drew a consolidated audience of 18.4 million people, also a new record.Total crowds also grew on last year, with 558,342 attending the finals despite Spotless Stadium hosting just 21,790 people for the most poorly-attended preliminary final of the modern era.McLachlan said the break built in a integrity measure, and he was keen to add other events alongside the womens all-star match and a charity match between the final round of fixtures and the opening week of the finals.It is the AFLs view that the greater build-up for fans of all sides competing in the finals strongly contributed to a brilliant month for the game across September, with the best players being able to be as fit and well-prepared as possible for the most important games of the season, he said.The AFL was able to give a greater focus to both the womens all-star game and our retired legends through the EJ Whitten match.Our key awards - such as All Australian selection and the Ron Evans Medal for the Rising Star - also received greater prominence.The decision to retain this week off for the elite players to prepare for the finals can also be used by all other levels of the game below the AFL to raise the profile of all state league competitions across that weekend, along with metropolitan, regional and community football.The 2017 AFL draw is expected to be released in the next fortnight. The pre-finals bye weekend will fall on the first weekend of September, with the grand final set for September 30.Clearance Shoes Canada . PETERSBURG, Fla. Shoes Canada Online . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. http://www.cheapshoescanada.com/ . Their 38th instalment is arguably their biggest fight card to date, including three-title fights and a main event which was selected by the fans. The promotion boasts 14-straight years of business and is operated by MFC president Mark Pavelich, who is often overlooked in this country for the foundation hes established for MMA in Canada. Wholesale Shoes Online . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Cheap Shoes Canada Free Shipping . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery.In four completed Tests at the Pallekele Stadium, Sri Lanka have never been winners. In the only matches that reached a fourth innings, chasing sides have found no terrors on the pitch, particularly when Pakistan ran down 377 in the most recent Test at the venue.With 185 more runs to get and seven wickets in hand, Australia batting coach Stuart Law is hoping the trend continues. Both teams were shot out for relatively modest first-innings totals, but counter to what is usually believed about Asian surfaces, Law said batting had become easier since then.Its not going to be a day-five pitch, he said. We have played like three days thanks to the rain and light interruptions. History says that teams have chased big totals here before. Those pitches might have been prepared differently than for us, coming in.This pitch doesnt look like deteriorating a great deal. If you look at the footmarks, big Mitchell Starc has been bowling left-arm over, and has hardly broken the surface. Its hard as concrete and its very dry. Overnight these conditions do tend to get the moisture back up into the surface. The first half-hour to an hour, can be tricky. But the wicket drying up shouldnt be a problem. The first two days it was tacky in the mornings. But its progressively dried out, and is probably at its driest now.But it is exactly that lack of moisture that Sri Lanka will hope their spinners will be able to exploit on day five. Several deliveries took sharp turn on day four - particularly Lakshan Sandakanss stock ball to dismiss Joe Burns - and with three frontline spinners in his XI, Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford hoped the seven wickets would be forthcoming.ddddddddddddI think weve fought really hard to get ourselves into a situation when we can win this Test match, he said. Pleasingly, a few balls started to turn quite sharply before the players came off for bad light. Hoping tomorrow that a few things will go our way, and well be able to press home.Ford also said Sri Lanka would have been in the driving seat had the lbw decision against Adam Voges been upheld. Voges had been given out when rapped on the pad first ball by Dilruwan Perera, but projections showed that ball to be missing leg stump. Voges remains at the crease with Steven Smith, and the two are reputed to be Australias best players of spin.They are class players and their records are outstanding, Ford said. The partnership is crucial and if we can break it in the morning - who knows what can happen? Day-five pitch - I know it hasnt had a full four days on it, but it is a wearing wicket. One just has to misbehave, and that can break a partnership.Law agreed that the overnight stand was a crucial one. The two guys who are batting at the moment need to put up a good partnership, he said. Everyone else has to chip in where they can. We are still confident. We always want to play to win and not to draw. ' ' '